The Ministry of Education and educational television officials have agreed to run a new television program aimed at teaching Hebrew to new immigrants.  “Hebrew is [the] immigrants’ entrance card to Israeli society,” one official explained, “and a lack of command of Hebrew is a central cause of failure to integrate in the workplace and in society.”  Officials expressed hope that the new show would be a “friendly and attractive” source of language skills for new immigrants.

The program will be called “Ze Lo Esek.”  Each 24-minute segment will be made up of four six-minute “chapters.”  The storyline centers on Avner, the owner of a minimarket, Vladimir, the new immigrant who becomes his business partner, and neighbors who come to shop in the market.  It will run on educational channels 2 and 23.